1. What are Minerals?

2. Minerals: are crystalline solids
are inorganic substances (not carbon based)
are formed through natural processes
have a specific chemical composition

4. Groups silicates native elements carbonates halides oxides phosphates
sulphates
sulphides

5. Silicates
The two most abundant elements, silicon and oxygen combine to form the basic building block for most common minerals.
Four oxygen atoms are packed together around a single silicon atom.
A silica tetrahedron is the result.

6. 1000 silicate minerals make up 90% of Earth’s crust

7. Native elements contain only one type of element
gold, sulpher, silver, diamond

8. Carbonates Contain one carbon and three oxygen
contain other element, such as calcium

9. Hydroxides
Produced when -OH binds to metals
bauxite and limonite

10. Halides salts that form when water evaporates
contain a halogen (fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine) bound to a metal ion

11. Oxides Contain one or two metal ions combined with oxygen
Hematite (Fe2O3)
Magnetite (Fe3O4)

12. Phosphates similar in structure to silicate minerals
Contain phosphate with arsenic or vanadium bound to oxygen to form a tetrahedron
most are rare

13. Sulhpates Contain sulphur bound to oxygen
they form when water evaporates
gypsum is a common sulphate

14. Sulphides form when metallic elements bind with sulphur
do not contain oxygen
pyrite is an example